The invention relates to an apparatus for temporarily fixing light-guide ends in a defined position in a clamping device for the subsequent further processing of the light-guide ends in a machining tool.
EP 0 475 474 A1 discloses that, before two light-guide ends are spliced together, the two light-guide ends have to be adjusted precisely in relation to one another in order for the additional optical losses to be reduced. Since the adjustment of individual light-guide ends is very time-consuming, a plurality of light-guide ends are adjusted in relation to one another at the same time here. In this case, either use is made of fiber bundles in which individual light-guide ends are fixed parallel to one another, or individual light-guide ends are aligned parallel to one another in one plane before the splicing operation. The predetermined sheath diameter of 250 xcexcm for the individual light guides gives a corresponding spacing between the individual light guides. Following the alignment, the light-guide ends are fixed in a clamping device. This clamping device is then fitted into a splicing apparatus, and a second group of light-guide ends are also prepared in a second clamping device, which is likewise fitted into the splicing device. The mutually parallel light-guide ends, of which there is a relatively large number, are then jointly adjusted and spliced. In order that standard clamping devices can be used for different numbers of light-guide ends, the position of the mutually parallel light-guide ends in the clamping devices is to be adapted to the number of light-guide ends. Known for this purpose are sorting apparatuses of complex design which provide a ball slide with a micrometer screw for the different fitting positions of the light-guide ends positioned in relation to one another.
The object of the invention is to specify an apparatus which is intended for temporarily fixing light-guide ends in a defined position in a clamping device for the subsequent further processing of the light-guide ends in a processing tool and which is of straightforward design and is easy to use.
This object is achieved by an apparatus having a fixing device with means for positioning a plurality of light waveguides, such as optical fibers, in a defined or fixed position side-by-side and parallel in one plane, a clamping device for holding the light waveguide ends, which clamping device is insertable into a mount of the fixing device and can be brought to a definite position in relation to the fixed light waveguide ends by a stop arrangement of the mount, the improvement comprising the fixing device and the mount having centering means which are assigned to one another and can abut against one another and that a plurality of changeable mounts are provided and can be inserted alternately into the fixing device, the stop means of the different mounts varying in a stepwise manner in their position transverse to the light waveguide ends, so that the clamping device can be adapted to a different number of fixed light waveguide ends by adjusting the stop means transversely to the light waveguide ends.
It is provided here that the clamping device can be inserted into a mount of the fixing device, and the fixing device and the mount have centering means which are assigned to one another and can butt against one another. Provided in this case are quickly changeable mounts for different numbers of light-guide ends, the different mounts having stop means which vary in a stepwise manner in their position transverse to the light-guide ends. This makes it possible, depending on the number of light-guide ends which are to be fixed, for the corresponding mounts to be selected and fitted quickly into the mount of the fixing device.
It is particularly advantageous to combine different mounts in one centering body which, can be inserted into the fixing device in different rotary positions. The centering body can assume up to eight different rotary positions and thus provide up to eight different mounts. This does away with high-outlay storage of different mounts.
The apparatus advantageously has a fiber-guide slot into which an associated fiber slide can be introduced in order to align the light-guide ends parallel in one plane and in a closely adjacent manner to one another.
For straightforward use of the apparatus, the apparatus provides a comb-like sorting element which is mounted rotatably between two positions, with the result that, in a first position, the fibers are fixed in the fiber-guide slot and, in the second position, they are clamped in the clamping device.
The invention will be explained in more detail by way of an exemplary embodiment and with reference to the drawings.